Inter- and intra-observer variability of Doppler peak velocity measurements: an in-vitro study.
To determine the variability of pulsed Doppler peak velocity measurements, four radiologists with differing experience were tested using a calibrated flow phantom. Two ultrasound units, three probes and eight velocity rates varying between 40.5 and 78 cm/sec were studied, with a total of 303 measurements. The results were normalized against a set of 106 separate measurements made under highly-controlled conditions. The residual error standard deviation (not attributable to any systematically varied factor, including the velocity rate) was 6.8 cm/sec, with most of the remaining variation due to changing transducer or machine. Observer/equipment interactions accounted for 15.8% of the observed variability. The duration of the radiologist's Doppler experience had no significant effect.
Tessler
F N
FN
Department of Radiological Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine 90024-1721.
Kimme-Smith
C
C
Sutherland
M L
ML
Schiller
V L
VL
Perrella
R R
RR
Grant
E G
EG
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D008961:Models, Structural; D015588:Observer Variation; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*